Chapter 19 Section 2

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Chapter 19Section 2

• THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE FIFTIES

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Increase in white collar jobsIncrease in service
industry jobsRise of conglomerates
GERise of franchises McDonaldsSocial
conformity dont rock the corporate boat
white shirts

• Economic and Social changes

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• Suburban lifestyle embodiment of American dream
• Single family home
• Good school
• Safe environment
• Good neighbors

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• BABY BOOM 1946 1964
• Highest birthrate ever
• 1957 height
• Why?
• Families reunite after World War II
• Advances in medicine
• Dr. Jonas Salk polio vaccine
• Dr. Albert Sabin polio drops

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• Baby Boom continued
• Dr. Benjamin Spock
• Confidence in continued prosperity
• Desirability of large families
• Decrease in marriage age

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Suburban Male

• White
• Young
• Married with Children

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Suburban Female

• Housewife and mom
• Young
• White
• Many were dissatisfied with their lives
• women in the workforce were not paid the same as
  men for the same job.

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LEISURE

• Sports
• Spectator
• Hunting, fishing, bowling, golf

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Leisure continued

• Reading books and magazines
• Organizations
• Brownies Cub Scouts
• Girl scouts Boy Scouts
• Little league baseball

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Automobile Culture

• More cars
• Suburbs new and further away from city
• Inexpensive and plentiful fuel
• Interstate highway system
• High speed and long haul trucking
• Commercial rail use declined
• Some towns declined
• Some towns grew
• Helped unify and homogenize the nation

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Automobile continued

• Increased travel
• Motels
• Restaurants
• Filling stations
• Vacations
• Disneyland 1955

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Consumerism material goods equated with success

• G.I. Bill
• Mass Media TV
• Planned obsolescence throw away society
• Credit
• Diners Club 1950
• American Express - 1958

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New Consumer Goods

• Made possible by research for World War II
• Electronics
• Teflon
• Plastic